‘I wouldn’t have graduated if not for money from kidnapping’

One of the suspected kidnappers, who abducted a 62-year-old woman, said that but for kidnapping, he wouldn’t have been able to become a graduate.

The suspect, Kolawole Alani, 26 , a graduate of Business Administration, Gateway Polytechnic said that he joined gang of kidnappers and used money accrued from the business to  finance his education.

He said he had gone on other kidnapping with the gang, but denied being part of the operation that led to the abduction of the old woman. He confessed to have been given N100, 00 and N150, 000 after ransoms were paid.

He said: “Before I graduated, I was working as a casual worker with the former PHCN. My financial lamentation became unbearable to my friend, late Niyi. He promised he would assist me to get a job. He told the type of business and I agreed to join. I badly needed the money!”

Alani said that his duty in the gang was to keep watch over the victims. He explained that his family members didn’t know what he does for a living or how he got his money.

The Lagos State Police Command said that the gang was a six-man gang of kidnappers. The 62-year-old victim, Kudirat Adeboye, was rescued in their den at Akodo area of the state.

Adeboye was kidnapped at Akodo bus stop, along Eleko Epe Expressway. The incident occurred around 6: 30am, on April 16, 2015.

Aside from Alani, other suspects presently in police custody are Ifeanyi Chukwuleta 25 and Rasheed Adetunji, 28.

The police said that after the disappearance of the victim, her family members raised a search party and also alerted the Akodo Police Station.

The State’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kayode Aderanti, said that he immediately he got information about the woman’s abduction, he ordered the officer in charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Mr. Abba Kyari and two other decoy operatives to Epe.

Aderanti said: “After six days of incarceration, the kidnappers contacted the victim’s family. They demanded for ransom and after much pleading agreed to accept N3m from family members. The kidnappers directed the victim’s son to bring the ransom to Ijebu-Ode Road, where one of them would meet him from the bush.”

Moments after the kidnapper came out of the bush to collect the ransom, hidden policemen surface. The kidnapper tried to run, but was shot on the leg. He led policemen to their hideout.

The kidnapper later died from the wound sustained from the gunshot.  Items recovered from the suspects are; one double barrel pistol, two expended cartridges and six live cartridges.

The suspects confessed to several kidnappings along Ajah, Elemoro, Akodo, and Epe and Ijebu-Ode part of Ogun State.

On his part, Ckukwuleta said his duty was to drive the gang’s operational vehicle. He said he was commercial bus driver before and later met Niyi who initiated him into the kidnapping world.

Ckukwuleta said that before Niyi came into his life, he had attended a seminar where they were taught how to rear fish. He knew he could successful carry out the business, but needed money. It was part of the reason he quickly embraced Niyi’s suggestion of joining a kidnapping gang.

The victim, Adeboye said: “I was at Akodo bus stop, waiting for a bus to Jakande road about, when a black Toyota Camry car came to discharge passengers. As the passengers alighted, one hefty man came out with a pistol and ordered into the car. I tried to figure out likely faces in the car, but I couldn’t. Before I knew what was happening, I had been taken to a thick forest at Epe.”